Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Last one of these (for now!)- link for tutorial is also on other posts with samples with Afternoon Daydream and Anniversay card with Fan Fair DSP. My thanks go to Anna at Annas Art for her great blog and pictures. Annasart Card with magic Window

both flaps fully open.

with right flap open

This one uses Clockworks set for background stamped in Pool Party and Soft Suede on the very vanilla base pieces. The cardstock is Night of Navy to give a deep contrast and I have used lots of the sticker embellishments to decorate- so easy. The Clock is stamped in Soft Suede but has shimmer mist paint daubed over the face for an aged patina. The buttons are from the regals set and seem to match even though they are technically different colours, and they are stitched on with Hemp thread (now retired). The ribbon slider has a masculine feel to it and works well with the natural ribbon.
Thanks for looking, Liz

I really enjoyed making the sliding magic window card the other day - see Magic window birthday card using Afternoon Daydream -- I have this one today and another tomorrow. My thanks go to Anna at Annas Art for her great blog and pictures. Annasart Card with magic Window
This one came together easily with the gorgeous DSP with its sentiment page for inspiration. I will really miss this when it retires. The Wooden key is not SU bit all other item items are. Island Indigo is the cardstock layered on Very Vanilla. I have also used the stamps from Tiny Tags, Elements of Style, and Loving Thoughts, as well as the Window Framelits and the jewellery tag punch.

Thanks for looking, I have one more sample using the Epic Day This 'n That paper series.

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Using up a few scraps. the card is Bordering Blue- long ago retired but I am a blue girl and still love it. I rolled the texture wheel over the blue scrap with blue ink. The flower is not SU but the colours went well together with the Elegant Eggplant butterfly and the First Edition DSP. To get the shimmering butterfly I mixed a few drops of Elegant Eggplant reinker in the mini spritzer bottle with rubbing alcohol and 4 drops of the shimmer paint and sprayed glossy paper (actually a sheet of photo paper) until it was covered. As the first layer of ink dried I added more layers and the effect was like marble- really pretty. I am sad the shimmer paint is retiring, I love it, a few drops go such a long way.

The sentiment is from Pursuit of Happiness which I also love. Sometimes scraps come together quickly. The Elegant Butterfly Punch often just ties everything together . Thanks for looking, Lillybet

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Summer silhouettes stamped in garden Green and Regal Rose, tiny flowers stamped in Melon Mambo. I used the stampin write marker to give the leaves some more definition, and after stamping additional flowers which I cut and popped up, I added some more dimension to them by covering with the Dazzling Details. such an easy way to brighten up any card. The sentiment is from Elements of Style and is layered on a few circles - only because I smudged the image the first time. I always say there are no mistakes, only opportunities for creativity!!

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

I thought this little lady could use some silver highlights so I added a strip of the Silver Glimmer Paper and some silver pen to the stamped image which is from Million Dollar Moments. The raspberry Ripple is a gorgeous colour and the DSP strip is from the orchard harvest set, the die cut is from the Pennant Die set. To get some dimension on the little flowers I simply ran the scoring stylus in little circles in the centre of the flower while pressing down on a soft layer - I use a mouse pad - they form into little cups which look better than the flat version. I also used the Paper Piercing Pack to add some dimension to the Apothecary Accents Framelit.

I needed a special birthday card for a special friend who is also a demonstrator and whose favourite colours are Pool Party and Pink. So it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make one of those designs that are on my "must do One Day" list ( a very long list!) My thanks go to Anna at Annas Art for her great blog and pictures. Annasart Card with magic Window I was able to follow the pictures quite easily and she has a few other samples to look at also. I used Pool Party, Primrose Petals and Whisper White cardstock, and the papers and a few embellishments from the Afternoon Daydream Simply Scrappin Kit which has also been on my list of must use items. It wasn't difficult to make but did use a lot of cardstock. There is minimal stamping but you could certainly add more, and the Scrappin' Kit embellishments were so easy to use I will definitely be doing more of these. I used the Window Frame Collection Framelits to cut out the central window and then I was able to use those pieces on the envelope. The birthday stamp is from an old hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes which I punched with the 11/4" circle punch. The front cover also uses the white Delicate Details Lace Tape, and a few punched butterflies in DSP and Vellum.
The opening mechanism is quite easy to make and very effective as it slides open to reveal the underlying message or image.
She loved it.
Any questions please email me.

I have to make a special card for our 25th Wedding Anniversary so I think this design may be a winner. Thanks for looking, Liz

Friday, 17 May 2013

I was really happy with this card, but then it's so easy to be creative with French Foliage. First I took a piece of Water Colour Paper 8cm x7cm and wet it, then painted it with Pool Party. Once it was dry I stamped the french script in Crumb Cake and the rain drops in Pool Party. (At this stage I dried this with the heat tool as I am inpatient). The leaf image was stamped in Always Artichoke which I then painted with the Aqua Painter. It gave the leaves an almost velvety look. I then painted the remaining ink on the stamp with a little water on the aqua painter and stamped these very soft leaves down the spine of the card base, and left this to dry slowly. I used a sponge to add more Pool Party to the card base and stamped the sentiment (from Thoughts and Prayers), and the friends tag (Tiny Tags and jewellery Tag Punch) in Always Artichoke. Lastly I took the Not Quite Navy marker and added a tiny bit of blue around the edges of the leaf directly onto the rubber stamp and stamped this over the painted leaves using the Stamp a ma Jig (best tool ever), and the Paris post mark stamps. I finished it off with some string and the artichoke and pool party mats (8.5 x 7.5 and 9 x 8) which I distressed using a blade. I do love these colours together. Thanks for looking, Liz

I was asked to do a sympathy card which is always hard. Pocket Silhouettes (sadly retired) is an old faithful and didn't let me down today. I used Watercolour Paper which gives such a nice finish and stamped the first layer of leaves in Not Quite Navy. after each colour addition I used the aqua painter to blend the colours and give some depth. Other layers of plants are in Certainly Celery and the last in Old Olive. the sky is done using Bashful Blue and More Mustard for the golden glow. One tip I learned a long time ago is to use the markers and draw a patch of ink on the surface of the clear-mount blocks and pick the colour up from here with the aqua painter. The little butterfly is from an old Sale a Bration Set and is bashful blue with Not Quite Navy marker added just around the edge (sort of rock and roll technique). The watercolour panel is then mounted on Not Quite Navy cardstock and sits flat on the Naturals Ivory Card. The sentiment is from Loving Thoughts. ...And of course the inside is decorated. I used a thin strip trimmed from the finished panel and some torn not quite navy card (sorry the photo is not straight).
The spare panel I did at the same time came in handy for another card which uses Marina Mist Polka Dot DSP and Not Quite Navy card for the mats. I used the Always Artichoke marker too and while I didn't use any sentiment the card is scored both horizontally and vertically using the Score Board., and has a bow and a touch of silver bling. Thanks for looking, Liz

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

This time I stamped Ex Libris with Pool Party ink directly onto Very Vanilla. I stamped the image again in Not Quite Navy and cut out the label and the Mini Butterfly Punch . I used the blender pen to add a bit more colour and definition around the edges of both the labels and to colour the butterfly. The sentiment is another old favourite and is also stamped in Not Quite Navy. It is all layered up on dimensiionals and is on the Naturals Ivory Card base. I have also used a silver gel pen to add a few highlights to some of the swirls and details on the pattern but they don't show up in the photo. Thanks for looking, Liz

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

This afternoon I finally got to play with my new stamp Ex Libris, which is just lovely. Here I have embossed it with Pool Party Embossing Powder over Very Vanilla Cardstock, then I sponged it with Crumb Cake ink and mounted it onto some First Edition DSP. The sentiment is from an old Sale-a Bration set from 2012 in Crumb Cake punched with the Extra Large Oval Punch and layered on the Decorative Label Punch shape which layers nicely on the Ex Libris plate. I have used some Natural Trim Ribbon and Linen Thread to decorate and an Antique Brad to hold it all in place.
The butterflies are from Kindness Matters. These were a bit more work- I stamped them first with Basic Grey onto Crumb Cake cardstock using the stamp-a majig, so that I could stamp over that exactly with Versamark ink which I then covered with Clear Embossing powder and heat embossed. To add colour I used the blender pen, some pool party and a touch of Gumball Green ink. I'm not much good with colouring but I find that if it is clear embossed first it is much easier. I'm not sure about the addition of the images from Established Elegance, but they needed to be in permanent ink and brown would have been better. Anyway...There's a shot of the inside decorated also - i just have to do that to feel it's completed.
Thanks for looking, Liz

Sunday, 12 May 2013

Being a Blue girl I have never parted with my Ballet Blue inkpad from my first Stampin Up purchases! It is a bit low now but still has enough juice for this type of effect. The Apothecary Art image stamp and sentiment stamp is stamped onto Naturals Vanilla cardstock and then I have used the Aqua Painter to simply fill in the main floral image and do a pale wash effect on the outside of the border. I dyed the Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon by scrunching it into the ink pad and using a little water to spread the colour. (gloves are essential to stop your hands getting too dyed also).

I will really miss the French Foliage Set when it retires. It is just so versatile and perfect for Masculine Cards. This was a quick and easy set inspired by a card I found on Pinterest. Bravo Burgundy, Not Quite Navy, Garden Green and More Mustard were used to stamp the strips, using the "stamping off" technique to fill in any gaps. Each strip is matted onto a different combination of the base colours which have been embossed for some added texture, it is a handy way to use up odd sized pieced. The sentiments come from Itty Bitty Banners and the fabulous matching Framelits. Thanks for looking, Liz

Sometimes the inspiration for a card comes from the stamps, and sometimes it's the Paper.The Botanical Gazette DSP is now retired but this card came together easily using the text paper as an inspiration. It reminded me of that old fashioned book style with drawings and illustrations aplenty. I created a strip of background images using the Night of Navy and the French Foliage Leaf and Text stamps, and used them also on the Crumb Cake piece to create the sentiment. The Label stamp is also retired but still useful with the Decorative Label punch behind it. I often die Seam binding to match my work by just scrunching the ribbon and mashing it into the ink pad surface - in this case Soft Suede. The Kindness matters images also fitted into the theme of this card and I cut one of the bees from another piece of DSP in the Botanical Gazette Set. Other bits and pieces from my own museum like stash of odds and ends! Thanks for looking Liz

Thursday, 9 May 2013

This card I made using the lattice die which I ran through the big shot with very vanilla and then with pink pirouette.. Then I cut out a single piece of patterned paper to match the Garden Green Cardstock base. i layered these on a square of First Edition DSP and a square of Very vanilla which i then ran through the bigshot with the Embossing Folder. I love the effect of this- looks like a patchwork quilt. I finished it off with a strip of Pink Pirouette which i punched out with the Lace Ribbon Border punch (now retired), and the love mini decorative label is layered on a silver circle of Glitter cardstock which celebrates the SU 25th anniversary., there's also a few small paper flowers. Thanks for looking, Liz

Thursday, 2 May 2013

I was asked to make a Christening Card for a family that have adopted 2 girls, but they are a 10 yr old girl and an 8 month old girl so it couldn't be a baby card. I don't have any sentiment stamps for a christening but I thought that "oh Happy day" from Bloomin' Marvellous seemed perfect. The paper flowers are not Stampin' Up! but the Lattice die, Embossing folders, Pink Pirouette Ribbon (retired) and Curly Label Punch are all SU products. I had to watch Teneale Williams video from Convention 2011 again to perfect the double bow technique Teneale Williams Stampin' Up! Workshop WOW Ribbon (thanks Teneale, love all your work). And it just needed a little something to fill in a few gaps, so I twirled a thin strip of cardstock to look like a trailing ribbon, and stamped the butterflies from Kindness Matters in

Primrose Petals, then sponged them with Pink Pirouette and punched it out with the Small Butterfly Punch nad nestled it down near the bow. My friend loved it and I have had orders for a repeat for a mother's day card. I think it would also work for a wedding. Thanks for looking, Lillybet